Sam Torrance’s 705th event on the European Tour – a record by more than 80 - did not begin in the manner he envisaged today.

From beating Tiger Woods to watching his comeback in an Arizona television studio less than 3 1/2 years later is not quite what David Howell had planned for his career.

France's Gregory Bourdy denied David Howell what would have been an amazing victory on Sunday night, winning the Portuguese Open at the third hole of a play-off at Oitavos Dunes.

France’s Gregory Bourdy takes a commanding four-stroke lead into the final round of the Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes tomorrow.

England’s Miles Tunnicliff today became the fifth player to shoot a course record 63 in the Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes to come from 40th place to one off the lead.

England’s Miles Tunnicliff improved from 40th to fourth with a lightning fast start to his third round in the Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes today.

Thomas Levet is heading to The Masters next week - to commentate, not to play - and it could be with a second successive European Tour victory to his name.

After six European Tour events this season in which he has not broken 70, Spain’s Pablo Martin returned to the scene of his triumph today and shot a course-record 63.

Another sign that Darren Clarke is on the way up again came this morning when he took the early lead in the Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes.

The Portuguese Open has attracted more big names than normal this week, but as David Howell admitted today: “We’re here because we’re not playing that well.”